Country hospitals across the State are being boosted with new equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, thanks to a grant from The Hospital Research Foundation.

The $406,785 grant to Country Health SA will be used to purchase equipment in the areas of cardiovascular care, renal, birthing and diabetes to enable more country South Australians to be treated closer to home – and in some cases in their own homes.

THRF Chief Executive Officer, Paul Flynn, said the Foundation was pleased to support patient care initiatives in regional South Australia.

“There are many wonderful specialists and healthcare professionals across country SA and the Foundation is proud to be able to support their great work through this grant, made possible thanks to our generous donors and ticket buyers in the Hospital Research Home Lottery,” Mr Flynn said.

“This lifesaving equipment will give regional communities greater access to a range of health services in more convenient locations, reducing travel to Adelaide and eliminating unnecessary stress at a time of need.

“Facilitating in-home care is also important for regional patients and the Virtual Clinical Care Home Tele-Monitoring Services, five of which have been funded through this grant, will monitor patients discharged from hospital or who require constant care.”

Country Health SA Chief Executive Officer, Maree Geraghty said the grant was a fantastic and generous gesture.

“I would like to say a big thank you to The Hospital Research Foundation for the generous funding, which will further improve health care delivery for country patients.”

Country Health SA’s Executive Director of Medical Services, Dr Hendrika Meyer, said the equipment would be located in many regional health centres, enabling more country people to be treated closer to home.

“And in some cases, where clinically appropriate, patients will be able to use some of the equipment in the comfort of their own homes,” Dr Meyer said.

“Enabling country patients to receive ongoing care close to home and loved ones is a key focus for Country Health SA, and this fantastic donation from The Hospital Research Foundation helps us save more patients time and money, as well as improved patient outcomes.”

Equipment being purchased thanks to The Hospital Research Foundation grant includes:

2 stress test units, one each for Kangaroo Island and Whyalla hospitals, that will be used on patients with chest pain to rule out heart disease

20 videolaryngoscopes for country hospitals with on-site theatres

3 portable ultrasound machines for renal dialysis patients – one of which will be located at Port Augusta while the location of the other two is being determined

5 Virtual Clinical Care (VCC) home monitoring kits, increasing the number of patients able to be monitored through the VCC program – kits to be located centrally and distributed to patients as required

24 24-hour blood pressure monitoring kits which test for hypertension – location of the monitors is being determined

15 holter monitors which measure ECGs over a 24-hour period – location of the monitors is being determined.